Finding Faith
by Slayergirl
Summary: What happened to Faith to make her how she is? And what could have happened in another buffyverse?


****

Finding Faith

(Set in a Buffyverse where Faith doesn't go bad - at least no more so than usual - and where Buffy knows she has a sister)

A couple of days after her brushed-off apology to Faith, there was a knock on Buffy's front door. She went to open it.

Faith looked strangely vulnerable, shaky almost. "Hey, B.," she tried pseudo-cheerfully. "C'n I come in?"

"uh - yeah - sure." Buffy stood aside for her to enter, and led her up to her room for privacy. "What's up?" she asked as she shut her bedroom door.

"I - just thought, y'know, maybe we could hang, swap slayer stories…"

Buffy nodded, not believing her. "Sure. So… what stories have you got?"

Faith seemed to struggle with herself. "There was this girl I knew. Kinda nice girl, nice family, y'know, the stereotype. She had a brother - older - who teased her a lot, but took care of her too. She didn't believe in ghosts, or monsters, or vampires. But one day, they came - the vampires. They - killed - her parents. And they - they turned - her brother. She. She'd just started training as - as a slayer in waiting. Her f-first kill… it was her brother, as he rose. Her second - was her own watcher. She… something happened to her, she got lost somehow, she…" Faith was white and shaking. "She… could never… tell anyone…"

Buffy gulped. "I've got a sister," she said softly. "Bit of a brat, really, she's just a kid. If anything happened to her, though, I - God, it must have been awful for - for that girl." For you, she'd almost said. "Dawn - she lives with my dad in LA, she's at school there - she's a pain, but - hell, I love her. Like nobody else on earth. I'd die to protect her. I guess - it must have been like that for - for that slayer and her brother, huh?"

Faith nodded eagerly. "Yeah, he was everything to her. To kill him was - I - mean, must have been so hard…"

"Soul-destroying," said Buffy sadly.

"Yeah." Faith was silent for a moment. "And, losing her watcher, too. What would you do if Giles…?"

"Kill myself, I think," said Buffy sombrely. "I mean, he's… Merrick, my first watcher, he was killed too, by vampires. Killed the bastard vamp who did it, and all his cronies, but that's not the point. There's always other watchers there… but there's no one like Giles. He's… different. He doesn't push you into conforming, somehow, he… he melds his watcherage to your own character. Y'know? He lets me be me, and - he lets you be you."

Faith smiled broadly suddenly and nodded. "Yeah. Not like other watchers. He's kinda cool. I like him."

"Unlike evil bitch-woman from hell?"

Faith gave a short bark of laughter. "She took me in. I really thought... but I shoulda trusted my instincts. Trusted Giles. And - trusted you."

"Even though I lied to you? And - the others?"

She bit her lip. "Lots of people lie, B. It's their reasons for doing it that matter. You... lied to protect Angel, yeah? 'Cos you dig him."

"I love him." Buffy smiled wryly. "Both sick and ironic, isn't it?"

Faith tilted her head on one side. "Ironic, yeah. Sick? C'mon, B. He's wicked hot. You'd have to be dead not to feel a little pulse-quickening..."

Buffy relaxed slightly. "You - don't think - it's, uh..."

Faith chuckled. "Sometimes, B., the bad guys are hot. You say Angel's on our side now, and, cool, I believe you. He - he saved my life. He didn't have to, but he did. I count him as one of the good guys, and I'd be glad to count him as one of my friends."

Buffy grimaced. "If only the rest of the gang could be that understanding."

Faith curled her knees under her chin. "They don't see it like us, B. They see good guys and bad guys. To them, vampire equals bad, and, yeah, mostly they are. But they see them as some terrifying ü bermonster lurking in the shadows, hunting them down. We - we're the hunters, though. We see them as the prey, not the killer. It's a different perspective, one they'll never share."

"But we see them as killers too," sighed Buffy. "You - you were the girl in the story, weren't you?"

Faith nodded. "I dealt with it," she said off-handedly.

Buffy shook her head. "No. You haven't dealt with it. You couldn't tell me straight out, and you were totally freaked." Faith maintained a sulky silence. "Faith, I'm trying to help you. You're my friend. Just - talk to me. Tell me what happened - that night. When the vampires came." She didn't respond. "Please?"

Faith sighed. "I already told you."

"No. The full story. Everything."

There was a short pause. "Okay." She stood and went to the window, looking out at the sunset. "My parents were open, friendly, trusting. We all were, as a family - loving, giving - we'd help anyone. We weren't rich or anything - not well off at all, but we'd still try to help anyone out if we could.

"One night, I went out to train with my watcher. My parents - I hadn't told them, it seemed too hard. My brother didn't know, either. Anyway, there was a car crash outside the house. My parents took in the victims - who ripped their throats out. It was staged, a ploy to get people to invite them in. My brother came back from college; they were there waiting for him, and turned him. I saw them; it was just as I came back with my watcher. I couldn't fight, I just stood there, frozen to the spot. Even when they grabbed my watcher, I - couldn't... I couldn't save him. I - should have done. Kakistos taunted me. Humiliated me. Killed him slowly and made me watch as he turned him. Then he let me go..." She realised she'd clenched her fists. "I went to the cemetery - alone. My brother - Lou - he rose first. I - killed him quickly, before he could even speak, so I didn't have to think about who it was, what he'd become. My watcher... I felt just as guilty, but - as he died, he'd begged - begged me to kill him, not to let him kill anyone, but to... and he wanted it to be me. I - cut his head off. And left town."

"Then what? Where did you go?"

"All over. I had my inheritance, after a while. I stayed in motels, waitressed a bit, took my aggression out on the demon lowlifes, tried to drown my sorrows in drink, drugs, sex... nothing worked. I was still - alone in the world, no friends, no family. And a whole package of memories to drive me slowly mad."

Buffy was silent for a while. "I had a major crush on this guy at school in LA. Ford. Billy Fordham. He came here to Sunnydale, and I was like, oh, my God, what a coincidence! Just like old times... except, y'know, me being with Angel..."

"What happened?"

"He made a deal with Spike."

"Who?"

"Major badass master vamp - cute, in a 'I'm gonna kill you', Billy Idol look-alike kinda way. Killed two slayers. Called the Order of Taraka on me."

Faith whistled low. "Woah! One of the big guys."

"Yeah. One of Angel's, y'know, childer thingies."

"So what kinda deal?"

"He'd deliver me to Spike in return for immortality. I was supposed to be Spike's third slayer kill."

"He _asked_ to be turned? What shit was he on?"

"Brain tumour. He was dying anyway, and - wanted another chance, I guess."

"What happened?"

"Spike honoured the deal, and turned him, even though he didn't get me in the end. We - me and Giles - we went back for the body after I got everyone else out of the place. Gave him a decent burial. And - waited for him to rise."

"You kill him?"

"Yeah." She inspected her shoes. "It was - hard - killing someone I - cared about. Especially when he'd betrayed me."

"The others - they said you killed Angel," she said hesitantly.

"Yeah. Betrayed again, story of my life. Slept with him on my 17th birthday, he lost his soul, tried to destroy the world with Spike and one of his exes."

"Typical guy," said Faith, rolling her eyes.

Buffy laughed suddenly. "I dealt with it."

It was Faith's turn to disagree. "No, not yet, you've still got hangups. But - I guess you're doing better than me."

"We're quite a pair, aren't we? Two screwed-up slayers."

"Two screwed-up sexy slayers," corrected Faith. "You wanna go patrol?"

"Sure. Take in a pizza on the way home?"

"Sure thing, B. Bring it on!"

*******

Giles was up late, studying an ancient text. He sighed and set down his cup of tea as the phone rang. "Giles, it's me."

"Buffy! What..."

"Faith came to see me."

"Is she - all right?"

"She's okay. Well, she's over the whole bitch-watcher thing. She asked me to phone and tell you something. About her past." Buffy filled him in on the story.

Giles was silent for a moment, then said sadly, "that poor child. Where in the world did she find the strength to deal with that, I wonder. She must be utterly traumatised. I don't suppose she's even had any counselling for it."

Buffy hesitated. "Is there - anything we can do for her? I mean, she really needs a watcher, doesn't she? But one she trusts and can respond to, but who can keep her in line. Like you."

Giles smiled despite himself. "Faith wants me to be her watcher?"

"Yeah. Was I that obvious? I was trying to be subtle."

"Well, it's up to the council, not me. But I'll certainly be her watcher in the interim, so long as she does what I tell her. I think, though, she should come and talk to me about it herself. Maybe at the weekend? Do you have a number for her?"

"It's okay, Giles, she's staying over tonight. Mom's away, and we patrolled late, and, y'know, had a pizza, and stuff - too late now for her to go back to the motel." Buffy didn't add that she was worried by what Faith had told her, and didn't want her to be on her own in such a precarious mood. "I'll tell her to come and see you."

"Very well. Goodnight, Buffy. And thank you for calling."

"Thanks, Giles, you're the best. Night!" She rang off.

"What did he say?" asked Faith nervously, hugging a duvet round her as she came in.

"He said it's up to the council but he'll do it till they tell him otherwise. And he wants to talk to you at the weekend. I said you'd go round."

Faith dimpled suddenly. "Cool! My very own non-evil watcher!" She curled up on the sofa. "You don't mind sharing him with me?"

Buffy shook her head. "Not really. It's kinda nice having another slayer around, anyway. Two heads, y'know. That's a good thing."

Faith yawned. "Well, guess I'll hit the hay, I'm whacked. Night, B." She bounced up the stairs.

Buffy went to bed a little later, hoping it would all turn out okay for Faith. She wondered what Giles wanted to speak to her about.

On the other side of town, Giles sat at his desk, his book forgotten. He pieced together all he knew about Faith and her past and realised how little he knew. All he did know pointed to someone who was deeply unhappy. It was very late before he managed to sleep.

*****

Faith dressed as carefully as if she were going for a job interview, brushing her hair neatly and smoothing her skirt. She wasn't sure why, except that it was somehow very important to her.

She knocked on Giles' door feeling strangely nervous. "Hi."

"Ah, Faith. Please, come in." He motioned her to sit down. "Tea?"

"Uh, no. No thanks, I'm fine." She sat down.

"Buffy called me to tell me your story, and to put forward your proposition."

Faith nodded. "Yeah, I - I asked her to."

"You didn't want to do it yourself?"

"Well, I - I don't like talking about my family."

"And it would have been less of a rejection if I'd said no to Buffy rather than you?" Faith made no reply, and he decided to let it go. "She will no doubt have told you that it's not up to me to make that decision, but that I have agreed to act as your watcher until the council make their decision." She nodded. "Good. Now, it's now up to me to notify them of the situation as far as we know it, so I'll need to ask you quite a lot of personal details. Age?"

"Seventeen. Nearly eighteen."

"Your birthday is?"

"28th February 1981."

"Your - uh, your guardian?"

"Well, I... don't really know exactly. When my parents died, and my brother, the money and everything came direct to me. My uncle - well, my dad's cousin, we always called him uncle - was supposed to take guardianship of me, but though I wrote to him several times, he never showed. Then I gave up, left town - the house had been sold by then. I always sent him my new address, but he never bothered to contact me."

"He's never contacted you in two years?"

She shook her head. "Not even sure if he's still alive or not."

"What's his name?"

"Robert Brooke."

Giles looked vaguely surprised. "Hm. Well, I'll do what I can to find something out. For the moment, though, I'll name him as your guardian. Current address?" She told him the name of the motel. "There must be somewhere more permanent," he muttered to himself. "Full name?"

She grimaced. "Faith Xanthe Brooke."

Giles smiled. "I think that's a very attractive name, actually."

She looked a little consoled. "Thanks. I guess you get used to it."

"Number of vampires killed?"

"Huh? How should I know?"

"You don't keep a diary?"

"No."

"Well, an approximate number will do. But from now on, I'd like you to keep a diary, logging as much information as possible."

"Does Buffy have to do that?"

"Yes, she most certainly does. She also has to log any relevant dreams, as for slayers, dreams are often prophetic. You should do that too."

"Okay," she sighed.

"How many hours per week do you train?"

She shrugged. "Two or three."

"Hmph. You should train for at least an hour a day. You can train with Buffy, it'll be good for you both." He took a last look at the notes he'd taken. "Well, I think that's about it. I'll write to the council with my recommendation this afternoon. It will be a long process, however, and they have a habit of not taking into consideration advice given to them, so don't hold your breath. In the meanwhile, I'll try to contact the elusive uncle Robert."

"Thanks." She took a deep breath as she left, and headed for the mall where Buffy was waiting for her. She threw her arms round the blonde slayer impulsively.

"Went okay, then?" guessed Buffy.

"Yeah, he just wanted to ask me some questions, that's all. He's writing to them this afternoon."

On the other side of town, Giles formulated his letter to the council, forcefully expressing his opinion the Faith Brooke was likely to be unstable, and therefore needed a highly experienced watcher such as himself to manage her. Then he set about the problem of her uncle.

Robert Brooke was a name familiar to him. He called Willow.

"Giles? What's up?"

"Nothing to worry about, Willow. I'd just like you to research something for me. I need to find out about a man called Robert Brooke. Robert Elgin Brooke, if my memory serves me correctly. His whereabouts, if possible, too."

After ringing off, he sat and sipped his tea thoughtfully. If Faith's uncle was who he thought, it was as well for her that he'd never responded. He tried not to worry unduly. 

*****

"Giles? It's Willow."

"Ah, excellent. What have you found?"

"Well, it's not good," she said. "In the occult type pages, his name comes up quite a bit, and not in a good way."

"There _is_ a good way?" he marvelled.

"Well, y'know, people who kill demons and stuff."

"Oh. Well?"

"It says he started out as a demon hunter. His mother was a slayer, I think - I hacked into the Council of W-"

"If you don't say it, I can't know how you know," warned Giles.

"Oh, okay. Well. His mother was just seventeen when she gave birth to him, and was killed when he was three. He wanted to avenge her death, which is why he became a demon hunter. It seems, though, that he drank a lot, too, and got very violent, getting himself into a lot of trouble.. There's a report that a couple of years ago he was put in prison for mistakenly cutting off a man's head. He was drunk, and thought the man was a vampire. He was sentenced to life imprisonment."

"Oh. Oh dear. Anything else?"

"Not much else of any occult interest."

"But - other things?"

"Well, he's dead."

"Dead!"

"Oh - oh, I'm sorry, Giles! Do - did you - know him...?"

"Not well. We had - mutual acquaintances."

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

He left a message on Buffy's answerphone to get Faith to call him, and decided to keep the letter he'd written a little longer. Robert Brooke was no longer his niece's guardian.

*****

"I'm sorry, Faith."

She shrugged. "I hardly knew him. Guess it explains why he didn't get in touch, though."

"Indeed. However, you do need a legal guardian. The Watcher's Council is most particular about that these days. There has to be someone they can contact in an emergency. If - something happens."

"What about the Watcher?"

"As an emergency contact? No, it should be the parent or guardian if the slayer is under eighteen. I know it isn't long until you come of age, but they really are most particular that there is a guardian named."

"But how can I find a guardian? No sane person adopts a seventeen-year-old, surely? Or - will I have to go into care, or something?" She sounded upset, and Giles moved to calm her down.

"There is a solution, Faith, which is used by the Council as a last resort, only if there is no family member or legal guardian, to avoid the slayer going into care. For the council's purposes, it will be enough if you sign a form to name me as your legal guardian, and that I countersign to accept my duties."

"What kind of duties?" she asked suspiciously.

"To support you through school until your eighteenth birthday, to provide you with clothes, a roof over your head, and food and drink. I would also have a duty towards you in respect of your training as a slayer. It's the procedure we use if we're training an orphaned slayer-in-waiting, or indeed, an orphaned slayer, in order to give them the stability they need to perform." He added slyly, "it would also guarantee that I would be your watcher in addition to Buffy's, as a watcher is forbidden to interfere with another watcher's slayer-ward without his express permission, and it is understood that taking on a slayer-ward is an additional duty which is duly recompensed, unlike normal watcher duties."

Faith grinned. "Okay, I'll sign," she said quickly.

Giles looked at her owlishly. "It would mean you moving in here." At her look of alarm, he reassured her, "I'm not going to take away your independence. You'll have your own house key, and I'm not going to impose a curfew on you. You've looked after yourself for two years, and, I suspect, need very little help from me in that respect. However, I will _not_ have my ward living in a motel."

"Okay."

"As far as meals are concerned, you may help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen. If I'm cooking for myself, I will, of course, cook for you if you wish to eat what I'm cooking. As to clothes..." He sighed. "I think I shall give you a monthly allowance. Then, at least, you may choose your own."

"Fine," she said brightly. "Where do I sign?"

He indicated the waiting form. "Are you sure you don't want time to think about this, Faith?"

"Nope. All dandy with me." She signed hurriedly, and pushed the form towards him. "Your turn." She watched eagerly as he signed it, and relaxed with a sigh as he folded the form and sealed the envelope.

"I hope we're doing the right thing, Faith."

She looked at her new guardian steadily. "Pretty sure I am. Got myself a new daddy to take care of me, haven't I?"

Her tone was light, but Giles could guess how much she meant it. Something about her screamed that she needed someone to be there for her, that she craved some kind of family life. She and Buffy - they would be to him the daughters he'd never had; he would be their lost father.

"Well, I'll post this on the way to the motel, and we'll pick your stuff up." He, too, did not like the idea of leaving Faith on her own. True, she seemed tough, but underneath he knew she was vulnerable, possibly even slightly unstable. At least, he thought, he could bring some stability back into her life.

A weight lifted from Faith's shoulders as she watched Giles post the form off, and as she loaded her few possessions into his car. It was only a week or so after she'd blurted out her tale to Buffy. She was amazed at how quickly it had all happened.

Buffy came over to see her, to help her settle in. She hung up her clothes as Buffy made the bed. "Nice room," commented Buffy. "En suite and everything."

"It's Giles' guest room," she explained. "He has another spare room, but he said he thought I'd rather have my own shower room than have to share with him, so he's going to leave the tiny box room as an emergency guest bedroom, with just an old sofa-bed in it. This is just luxury, though. Nice big double bed - you can stay over, you know, any time - my own shower room, even a lock on the door, and a nice view west towards the sea and the sunset. What more can a girl ask?"

Buffy nodded, the tiniest bit jealous. 'Still,' she thought, 'I've got mom, and dad and Dawn in LA, so I guess I can't complain. Giles and I... we're all Faith has.'

Faith pulled a photo album out suddenly. "Here. I wanted you to see them. I - haven't looked at them - since it..."

"Your family?"

She nodded, sitting on the bed next to her friend. Giles found them there and hour later when he called them for dinner. He was pleased to note that, although Faith looked tired and sad, she was more relaxed and open than previously. He took it as a good sign.

*****

Giles smiled as he unlocked the front door. He could hear Faith humming. He followed the sound to the kitchen, finding her washing up. "Teacher didn't show for last period," she grinned. "So I came home and got an itchy fit, thought I'd tidy up a bit. You want tea?"

The simple domesticity of it charmed him. "I'll make it. Are you having some?" Faith had begun to drink tea, and often had a cup with him when they got in from school. He found it a productive time, when she'd chatter happily. He learned more than she realised from those conversations.

"Yeah, I'll have a cup. Say, could you help me with something?"

"I'll try," he said as he made the tea. "What is it?"

"Some preparation for next week's English class. It's on Shakespeare, and I just don't get it."

Giles' eyes brightened. "Ah, Shakespeare! I do love Shakespeare. What play are you studying?"

They talked Shakespeare as they sat in the living room with their tea, Faith taking notes for her class. Reading through her notes, she smiled and nodded. "That makes so much more sense now! Thanks, Giles."

"My pleasure. I've always loved Shakespeare, so it's never any hardship."

Faith sighed. "It's so nice, you know. Coming home, knowing you'll be here, or will be in soon. Knowing there's someone I can ask all my difficult questions. Knowing - knowing I have somewhere to call home - and that feels like home. It's - it's like being part of a family again."

Giles smiled gently at her. "Faith, my dear, you are my family. You are every bit as dear to me as a daughter, just as Buffy is - and her sister. I'm glad you feel at home here."

Faith gave an unusually whimsical smile, and went up to her room to work.

Giles sat quietly downstairs. He'd noticed that, previously, Faith had not been a conscientious student, despite being laden with ability. He was glad that, having settled down over the past few weeks, she'd found a routine for herself. After school, she'd get a lift home with him, or make her own way home, and have a cup of tea with him, often asking him to help her with topics she was having problems with. Then she'd take herself off to her room and study until he called her for dinner, patrol with Buffy, then come home via the Bronze or Buffy's house, where she often called in to say 'hi' to Joyce. He approved of the routine; she'd always played hard, but now she was working hard, too. She seemed a lot less volatile than of old, and he often heard her humming to herself. From the door of her room, he could see a photo of her with her parents and brother in a frame on her desk; but next to it was a picture of the two of them and Buffy, taken soon after she'd moved in. She often talked of her family, now; with sadness, which he expected, but with less pain and anger than before. He could see she was beginning to heal, and was glad.

*****

It was nearly Christmas. Faith sat uneasily with Giles, drinking her tea. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course! What is it?"

"Well... Joyce - I mean, Mrs. Summers - she asked if I'd like to spend Christmas Day at their house with Buffy..."

"Well, go, if you want to."

Faith frowned. "Well... I do in a way, except that... Christmas was always a family time for us, really special. And they're not here now..."

"So you would feel uncomfortable in Buffy's family?"

She shook her head. "It's not that. It's just that - well, this is home now. You're - well, a kind of foster father, or something. It's like... you're my father, Joyce is like my mom, Buffy's like a sister. I - feel torn, somehow. I do want to spend time with them, but, Giles..." she sighed, "I want to be with you as well."

Giles was both surprised and touched. "Well, we could invite them to spend Christmas Day here," he suggested.

Faith smiled. "Really? You wouldn't mind? Can I call and ask them?"

He smiled a little indulgently at her excitement. "Of course, go ahead." He wondered how many Christmases she'd spent alone - one? two? He was determined to make this one special for her.

She came back wreathed in smiles. "They thought it was a great idea, and they said they'd love to, but only if they can help."

"So long as Buffy's not cooking," gruffed Giles.

"No, B. can help lay the table or something. She and cookery aren't mixy things," laughed Faith, unaware of how like Buffy she'd just sounded.

Giles took a sip of tea. "That's an understatement."

*****

"Buffy, I want to ask your advice."

Buffy nearly choked on her soda. "Me? Giles, me? Are you okay? What about?"

"Faith. I want to buy her a Christmas present, something special, but I'm not sure what to get. I wondered if you had any idea what she might like, or if your mother might? I - I don't want to get her anything to do with slaying."

Buffy's forehead furrowed in thought. "Hm, tricky one. Perfume? Makeup? Clothes? She doesn't have a teddy-bear, but I'm giving her a majorly cute one, so you can't steal that idea. She's kinda into studying now, isn't she? Not so clever-clever as Willow," she added loyally, "but pretty smart. And she was talking of going to college in the Fall. Maybe - dunno, maybe something like books, money to buy books? Oh, I'm so bad at this! Try mom, she might have an idea."

He was wary of speaking to Joyce after their - incident. But he called anyway.

"A present for Faith? Well, you know," she said wisely, "there's a little girl in there who needs love and attention. You've given her that already. Given her a home - and a family, in a way. Protection, too, comfort, security, support. Isn't that enough of a gift?"

"But I want her to have something else, something tangible. Something to unwrap. Something - a father might give his only daughter."

"You can't gift wrap the world, Mr. Giles."

"Rupert," he corrected vaguely. "She likes geography, though, doesn't she? And travel? How about a globe? Maybe one of those beautiful antique-looking ones? She admired one in a shop the other day..."

Joyce smiled to herself. "I think she would be very pleased with that. She seems to have travelled quite a bit, in the States at least, and is interested in travel. I think that would be very appropriate."

Giles went shopping with a song in his heart.

*****

Giles was beside himself. Faith's room was empty, her bed neatly made. She'd had tea and toast, but there was no sign of her in the house.

The doorbell rang, and he fairly ran to the door. "Must have forgotten her keys..." It was Joyce and Buffy. "Oh! Oh, come in, please..."

"Where's Faith?"

"I - I don't know. I've not long been up. I thought it must be her, I..." there was the sound of the key in the door. "Oh, thank God!"

Faith bounced in. "Hey, guys! Hope you weren't starting without me."

"Where have you been?" asked a still-anguished Giles.

"It's Christmas Day," she said as if it explained everything. At their mystified faces, she explained, "Hey, girl from Irish Catholic stock here. I went to confession, then to Mass." Three mouths snapped shut. "I left a note in my card," she added, nodding at the mantelpiece.

"I - I hadn't noticed it was there," said Giles, dazed. "I didn't realise that you were - well, still practising."

She frowned. "I wasn't. Not since my family were killed. I didn't understand how a God of love could be so cruel to me. But," she smiled, "he gave me you guys as a new family, a new home, friends, and a whole heap of happiness. So I thought I'd give him a break, and heave myself out of my comfy bed and go to Mass. Can't see it becoming a regular thing, but... it seemed right to do it today. It was like - saying goodbye, letting go of the old life, the old family, and embracing the new. Anyway," she finished, "I'm here now, and I've got presents for you all upstairs." She scampered off to her room.

Giles sat down weakly. "Wonders will never cease!"

Joyce smiled. "She's healed so much, Rupert. I don't think she'll go overboard on religion, if that's what's worrying you. I think, though, that she wanted to do it to remember her family, pray for their souls, maybe, before she enjoyed her day with us. I think it was a deep-set instinct that drew her to church this morning, not really religion as such. Old business to finish before she could truly move on."

Giles, not being in favour of organised religion, was relieved at her words. "Perhaps you're right - maybe it was just catharsis. I mean, obviously, if she wanted to go to church... but it just seemed so unlike her..."

"Unlike the Faith we met when she arrived," reminded Buffy softly. "But we don't really know who she was before her family was killed. Maybe she was like that. Maybe the new Faith is. She seems happy, now, anyway. That's what counts."

"They're not huge presents," said Faith, bustling in. "But they're things I thought you'd like. Here." She handed them out.

They were thrilled with their gifts, a real silk scarf for Joyce, and a pair of expensive earrings that Buffy had eyed longingly but couldn't afford; a beautiful filigree bookmark for Giles, and a novelty mug that said 'Kiss the librarian', which made him laugh out loud, especially as it was given with an affectionate peck on the cheek.

"Mom and I did our own presents at home, but we've got some for you two..."

Faith shrieked with laughter when she saw the soft toy from Buffy. "You're a bad, bad girl," she cackled.

Giles and Joyce looked at the girls and the panda, mystified. Buffy explained. "Her mascara ran when she told me about her family. She said she looked like a giant panda."

"I'll call him Louis, after my brother," she said, tweaking the bow. "He'd have liked the joke." She stifled a sad sigh, but turned her attention to Joyce's present."

"Wow, skates! Thanks!"

"Well, you two can go off to the ice rink now, and wow all the boys. Buffy's always liked skating."

A few more presents were exchanged, Giles growing ever more impatient. Finally it was his turn to give Faith her present. "They say you can't gift wrap the world," he said, "but I've done my best."

Faith looked at him, bemused, and unwrapped it. "You remembered!" she gasped as she saw the globe. "It's the one I fell in love with at the shop! I'm _so _gonna ace geography now! Thanks, dad."

It had come out so naturally. There was a stunned silence. Faith didn't correct herself, just smiled, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, dad," she whispered again. She was home.


End file.
